OM Jim Hartland Storm Battered in Florida

Jim Hartland OM 80-87 has emerged from his storm-battered home to start the clear-up operation after sitting through the biggest recorded hurricane to hit America’s mainland.

World medal rower Jim Hartland, whose parents, brother Nick and sister Kate live in Monmouth, said: “It was like a freight train going right past your window. It was pretty scary sitting inside my Orlando home waiting for it to pass over.

“I’ve never heard wind or rain like it, it was deafening, just howling, and I’ve sat through a few hurricanes over here in Florida.

“Hurricane Charlie in 2004 was quite bad but only took about an hour to pass. But Hurricane Irma took for ever to move on, about 24 hours. It has to be the worst I’ve seen, it was just unrelenting, with winds of up to 140mph.

“There are trees and branches down all over the place and lots of debris lying around, and the creek at the bottom of my cul-de-sac is now an overflowing river.”